Successful women talk about “leaning in” or “finding a sponsor,” but rarely do they credit their success to politics. Amy Schulman, EVP and General Counsel at told the New York Times that women are held back because we're afraid of spending political capital.

“It’s seen as sneaky, but it doesn’t have to be. And whether you like it or not, politics are important in any office culture,” says Kari Reston, founder and CEO of Boredom to Boardroom, a company that helps young professionals with their careers. Reston – who was previously Head of Talent for Bank Americas and EMEA – urges women to get comfortable with politics. It’s a key part of that trajectory to the C-Suite. Here’s her top tips to succeed in playing the game:

Accept politics exist. Take advantage

First, acknowledge that everyone who cares about moving ahead is going to need to be political. “There’s this misconception that senior managers don’t give and ask for support and favors. In fact, there’s constant lobbying – the higher up you go, the more ‘coffees’ there are,”says Reston.“Everyone does it.”

“What you need to do is find a way that feels comfortable to you and that matches your values.” But don’t, for one second, think you’re the only one doing it. “Often if someone mentions office politics, the reaction from women is eye-rolling and shudders,” says Reston. It’s up to you to redefine and play the game so that you don’t lose out. Don't be nasty, though. Politics is not about sabotaging other people, but rather about positively lifting your career – and others'.

Set an agenda

So you scored a major win for your company. Your promotion is around the corner because your manager took notice, right? Wrong. Actually, unless you actively reach out to discuss your role, contribution and future with the company, your successes may not mean more than a pat on the back.

“Waiting for the year-end review or relying simply on formal channels is never enough. Women can’t wait for companies to tell them what’s next in their own careers,” says Reston. Instead, set an agenda. If you’ve worked hard to do something or have an idea about taking on more responsibility, don’t be scared to talk about it to the right people.

Strategize on who needs to know, then go out and tell them.

One way to tell your boss: “I am really proud at landing us this great new account. I’d like to discuss this and how we can create even more opportunity,” says Reston. Discuss your accomplishments when they happen, not months later when the moment has passed.

If you want to be a leader, you have to act like one. Constantly downplaying your contributions shows you are reactive, not proactive. Always give credit where it’s due, and this includes crediting yourself too.

One of Reston’s clients is quite emblematic on not taking enough credit for her work. “Unfortunately, it's not a huge surprise that her career hasn't progressed as she'd like, despite the fact she's fantastic at what she does. This often comes across very easily in language, She says: 'I supported', 'I was part of a team that...', 'My company is great at...' Teamwork is great, but she wasn't chalking up any success to the active role that she played in various accomplishments.”

Approach getting ahead like you would a project. There’s hard work involved to actually accomplish the job. The rest of the project is making sure the right people know how hard you worked to do it.

This is the first in a two-part series on Women and Office Politics. My next post will be on the politics of networking.